


When the time comes

by KittfoxHowlett



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, Angst, Implied Male/Male relationship, M/M, Pirate!AU, Teasing, being a jackass, sould selling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-20
Updated: 2016-11-20
Packaged: 2018-09-01 04:47:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,095
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8608564
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KittfoxHowlett/pseuds/KittfoxHowlett
Summary: Trying to find a way to the magical artifact that can break his curse, Captain Yusei Fudo cross paths with a mage who may just be something much worse than a simple curse.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Written for [yugirl-with-dragons](http://yugirl-with-dragons.tumblr.com/) on tumblr, using her Pirate!AU as a base.

With a grunt Yusei slashed the branch blocking his way. It fell on the earth with a silent thump and Yusei stabbed his saber into the ground right next to it. Breathing heavily, he took off his hat and wiped the sweat soaked strands of his hair from his forehead. After taking few deeper breaths, he reached to his belt for a canteen with water. Drinking slowly, he looked back over his shoulder and grimaced.

The path he had spent hour crafting was barely visible among the low trees and bushes littering he tropical forest. He couldn’t even see the ocean anymore, or even hear his comrades, waves or seabirds.

His hand stilled.

He couldn’t hear any birds.

His fingers tightened around the canteen and he looked at the thick forest in front of him.

El Llamador de Serpientes. A mage who was at the end of every clue he found while looking for the next piece of map. Each time he dropped the lead, not wanting to have anything more to do with magic that was absolutely necessary. Until he run out of the leads and was left with no choice.

Magic was trouble, he knew that better than anyone and those who dealt with it every day were even more dangerous.

As he listened to the complete silence around him, Yusei contemplated turning back. Going back to his ship, to his crew, leaving and looking again. For a way that did not involve more magic.

Sharp pain ran from his forearm up to his spine and down, bringing him to his knees. It spread to the sides, burning his body like a fire, constricting his lungs until he could no longer breathe. He gritted his teeth, letting out a strangled hiss, unable to make any other sound. The pain overtook his entirely, pulsing, stabbing, burning until all he could hear was the rush of his own blood, all he could taste was disgusting bile gathering in his mouth, all he could see was white hot light.

It ended as suddenly as it started. Leaving him trembling, gasping for air and wanting to scratch that accursed mark of his arm.

With shaking hands, Yusei lifted his hat that felt down during the spasms, and grabbed the hilt of his saber, using it to lift himself up. Leaning on it, he breathed few more time, steadying both himself and his resolve.

Whatever El Llamador de Serpientes had for him, it couldn’t be worse than what he already had.

Ripping his saber from the ground, he raised it to cut another branch, when he heard an angry hissing to his left. Not daring to fully turn, he glanced in that direction and saw, predictably, a snake hanging off the branch barely three feet from him. Its purple scales glimmered in the scarce light gracing the forest floor.

Slowly, Yusei lowered his arm and sheathed his saber. Moving his leg, he half-turned toward the snake.

“I came here to see your master.” He said, making sure to speak as clearly as he could. “I have a request and I’m ready to pay for it.” He brushed the pouch on his belt, casing the jewels in it to jingle.

The hissing stopped and the snake lifted itself so now it was now staring straight into Yusei’s eyes and was much closer. Its tongue darted out of its mouth, tasting the air, and it twisted its head to the side, as if it was judging whether to eat him or listen to him.

The seconds stretched, with Yusei not daring to move and the snake titling its head from side to side. Yusei could swear that several minutes passed by now. His fingers twitched toward the saber’s hilt.

Before he could grab it, the snake coiled and lunged at him, with its mouth wide open and fangs ready to inject the deadly venom. Taking a step back, by reflex Yusei raised his arm to shield himself from the attack, closing his eyes.

The bite never came.

Opening his eyes, Yusei lowered his arm and gasped silently in surprise.

Gone were the trees, the bushes, lianas. Instead he was looking at a wooded wall, littered with askew nailed shelves with jars and baskets. He turned around, bumping his head into a bunch of dried wolfsbane leaves. Ducking under it, he surveyed the rest of the room. Despite the fire  dancing happily in the fireplace, the room was covered in shadows and he could barely make out the outline of crude table, something that resembled a nest of furs and vials upon vials filled with colorful liquid.

“Like what you see?”

He almost lost his balance trying to turn toward the voice that seemed to come from _everywhere._

He was expecting an aging crazy man with beard filled with worms and bats. Or a woman dressed in leaves and carrying around a voodoo doll. Or even a one-legged vampire munching on a garlic.

Not a boy who seemed barely out of his teens.

But that’s what he saw. Sitting on the edge of the table, wearing a simple green tunic and brown pants. There were black bandages wrapped around his hands and forearms and matching one covering his feet. He was looking at Yusei with a soft, flirtatious smile.

The purple snake coiling around his shoulder was unmistakable though.

“El Llamador de Serpientes?” asked Yusei, straightening to not show any weakness.

The boy rolled his eyes, petting the snake.

“Such an ostentatious name, don’t you think Manda?” He grumbled to the snake which hissed in response. “It’s your fault for giving it to me first, now everyone is copying you.” The snake made a sounds that must have mean a snarky reply, because the boy only stuck his tongue out at it and tossed it off his shoulders.

“You can call me Sombra.” He jumped off the table and  leaned toward Yusei. “Now then, Manda told me you have a request for me.” He murmured, staring straight into Yuseis eyes.

Unable to sop himself, Yusei blinked and then jerked backward, when he didn’t see Sombra anymore.  Whipping his head, he looked around, trying to pierce the shadows around him.

“Someone has been naughty.” A small, almost unnoticeable weight settled on his back and he felt a cold finger stroke his arm, _the mark_. “That’s a nasty curse you have here.”

He turned around, swinging his arm to shake Sombra of himself, but all he got was a dispersing mist of _shadows_.

“That’s hardly a way to ask someone for a favor.”

He spun around again and jumped when Sombra’s face appeared just inches from his. Despite being half a head taller, Yusei felt his body freeze in fear, when he started into Sombra’s eyes that seemed to glow in the darkness.

“Tha-,” he swallowed,“ that’s hardly a way to treat a customer.”

Sombra titled his head and chuckled. He took a step back, swirling around dance like and glanced at Yusei over his shoulder. tapping the edge of his hat. _Yusei’s hat_ , which he took without Yusei realizing.

“What do you want then?” He ran his fingers over few vials. “Do you want strength? Do you want luck?” He lifted one filled with what looked like molten gold. “I believe you’ve already mastered the _charm_ department.” Giggled Sombra, looking at Yusei with a mischief. But when all Yusei did was stare at him hardly, Sombra sighed. “You’re looking for _that._ ”

Yusei heard quiet scraping on the floor between his legs and almost jumped when he saw another snake sliding toward Sombra, who bend down to pick it up and hissed at it.

“Kings. Priests. Hunters. Pirates.” Sombra stroked the head of the snake, walking toward Yusei with a dangerous edge in his step. “They offered me fame, riches, salvation, slaves.” Sombra slowly ran his fingers up Yuseis forearm, then through his collarbone. “What makes you think,” the finger went up his throat, “that you can offer me more?” Yusei tried his best not to turn his eyes from Sombra’s gaze and ignored the middle finger tapping his lips. “Magic has a price. Every magic.” The finger became a hand, caressing lovingly his cheek. “What you’re looking for, even knowledge where to find it, costs more than you can imagine.” Sombra’s other hand slid under Yusei’s shirt.

“Anything.” Despite all his reluctance at the innuendo, Yusei’s voice stayed strong. “I’m willing to pay anything.”

“Anything?” repeated Sombra, stopping his movements. Then, suddenly he reverted his eyes. “Anything.” He took a step back, tugging the hat lower to cover his eyes. “What do you think?” He spoke to the snake. “What should I take?”

Yusei felt cold ran up his spine at the tone Sombra’s voice took. So far it was playful, amused. Now, it was cold..

Sombra waved his fingers through the air and bits of shadows left the floor to gather around his hand,  twisting and swirling.

“Should I take the Black Sun?”

Yusei’s throat constricted, when the bits of shadow formed a small figure of Judai, laughing at something.

In another dance like step, Sombra came closer to the fireplace. “Or maybe the Scales?”

Small replicas of Rua and Ruka joined Judai. Realization started creeping up to Yusei.

“Should I take the Bird?” Another turn on a heel and another bit of shadow forming a human.

Crow. “ _He cannot mean”_

“Ah, the King looks tempting.” Jack joined the rest and now they were all gathering around a miniature form of Yusei.

_“That’s why I ordered them to stay back! So they won’t get involved.”_

Stopping his dance, Sombra looked Yusei death in the eyes with a grin so evil, Yusei wondered briefly if he wasn’t talking with the devil himself the whole time.

“The Fiery Rose.”

“No!” Jumping forward, Yusei drew his saber, thrusting the sharp tip straight into Sombra’s heart, but he didn’t feel any resistance as the steel pierced the flesh.

“I’ll give you an advice, brave pirate.” Sombra took of the hat and swung it on his finger. “Don’t ever say _anything_ to a mage.” His figure started to blur, turning darker and darker with every second as his voice grew more distant.

“Wait!” Yusei tried to grab Sombra’s shoulder but he only got a handful of shadows.

“I’ll take my payment when the time comes.” The lump of shadows making Sombra’s body just second before, rushed toward Yusei, consuming him, blinding.

Then it was gone and Yusei was staring at the endless blue of the ocean.

“Oy, Cap!”

That voice. He looked to the left to see Judai waving at him from the top of a rock.

“You’re back!”

Yusei blinked owlishly.

He felt something smooth in the hand that wasn’t gripping the saber. He looked down at it.

A round piece of metal with a map carved in it.

_…when the time comes._

The saber slipped from his fingers that went numb. His knees buckled under him and he feel onto the sand, staring at the map.

“Cap?!”

He could hear Judai’s steps on the sand, him calling the rest of the crew, his alarming shouts asking what was wrong.

Someone was screaming. A wild, soul tearing scream that carried itself through the ocean, startling every living being.

And it took him too long to realize, it was him screaming.

 

*  *  *

“You called for me, your highness?”

Sombra strolled through the sun bathed corridors of the castle, to stand next to the sole figure near one of the windows. He could see from it the town surrounding the castle perfectly.

“When the king calls you, you will come right away, Kitt.” There was a displeasure in the kings voice and he glanced toward Sombra. He frowned. “What is this horrendous thing on your head?”

“Oh, this?” Kitt took off pirate’s hat. “A souvenir.” He giggled.

The king only raised one eyebrow at him.

“Sometimes you’re almost making me feel sorry for whatever mongrel comes your way.”

“Isn’t that why you love me, Goldie?” Kitt stepped in front of the king, looking all innocent if not for the sly smile gracing his lips.

The king snorted in amusement and ducked his head down to steal a kiss from Kitt. “Perhaps.” He stroked Kitt’s hip. “Perhaps it’s something else.” He kissed him deeper.

Huffing in disbelief, Kitt sneaked out of kings grasp and took few steps toward the inside of the castle.

“I wonder when he will realize,” he said, putting the hat back on, with a pugnacious tilt to it, “that I already have what I wanted.”


End file.
